WO2014019224A1

WO2014019224A1 - Charging station system of automatic working device

Info

Publication number: WO2014019224A1
Application number: PCT/CN2012/079664
Authority: WO
Inventors: 周国扬; 薛玉雷
Original assignee: 江苏苏美达五金工具有限公司
Priority date: 2012-08-02
Filing date: 2012-08-03
Publication date: 2014-02-06
Also published as: EP2899832A1; CN102799181A; EP2899832A4; CN102799181B

Abstract

Provided is a charging station system of an automatic working device that comprises a charging station (1) and an automatic working device (2). The charging station (1) comprises a baseboard (7). A charging box (8) is disposed on the baseboard (7). A first charging end (9) is disposed at the top of the charging box (8). A second charging end (14) matching the first charging end (9) is disposed at the bottom of the automatic working device. When the automatic working device needs to be charged, the automatic working device can automatically drives in the charging station (1). The second charging end (14) keeps contact with the first charging end (9). The charging station charges the automatic working device. The structure of the charging station system is simple, accurate and reliable butt joint between the automatic working device and the charging station is implemented through elastic contact between the charging ends, and a reliable charging function is achieved.

Description

Charging station system for automatic working device

Technical field

The present invention relates to a charging station system, and more particularly to a charging station system capable of charging an automatic working device. Background technique

Automatic working devices, such as automatic mowers, automatic cleaners, etc., have appeared on the market in recent years. These devices are limited to work in certain working areas. These automatic working devices are usually equipped with energy storage units. , control unit and drive unit, the automatic working device can work autonomously in a limited area, thus reducing the negative labor burden of human beings

Say

Bear. This type of working device usually requires automatic return to the charging station for charging before the energy is exhausted, and whether it can be accurately and reliably returned to the charging station for charging, which is one of the technical aspects of such an automatic working device. Market

Book

Various forms of charging station systems have also appeared. EP 1302147 B1 discloses a charging station system of such an automatic working device, comprising a charging station and an automatic working tool, the charging station having a raised portion, the raised portion being mounted with a first transmission portion, automatically working A second transmission portion is mounted on the upper portion of the tool body, and energy is transmitted through the second transmission portion against the first transmission portion. The EP2073088B1 patent also discloses a charging station system comprising a charging station and a robot. The charging station is provided with a first transmission portion, and the front end of the robot is provided with a second transmission portion. When the robot enters the charging station, the second transmission portion can abut Charging is performed on the first transfer portion, wherein at least one of the first transfer portion and the second transfer portion is magnetic so that the first transfer portion and the second transfer portion can be attracted for better contact.

Summary of the invention

The main object of the present invention is to provide a charging station system for an automatic working device. When the automatic working device is in the return charging mode, the automatic working device and the charging station can be accurately and reliably docked to maintain good contact of the charging end.

The present invention achieves the object of the invention by the following technical solutions:

A charging station system for an automatic working device, comprising a charging station and an automatic working device; the charging station comprises a bottom plate, the bottom plate is provided with a charging box, and the charging box is provided with a first charging end; The device is provided with a second charging end that cooperates with the first charging end, and the automatic working device can automatically drive into the charging station for charging when charging, and is characterized in that:

The first charging end is disposed at a top position of the charging box;

The second charging end is disposed at a bottom position of the automatic working device, and the second charging end is kept in contact with the first charging end after the automatic working device drives into the charging station, and the charging station charges the automatic working device.

Further, the charging station system of the automatic working device is characterized in that: the bottom plate is further provided with a step, and when the wheel of the automatic working device climbs up the step, the height of the lowest end of the second charging end is higher than the first Charging end Height; the second charging end is in contact with the first charging end when the wheel of the automatic working device enters the charging station over the step.

Further, the charging station system of the automatic working device is characterized in that: the first charging end comprises a first charging piece and a second charging piece, and the first charging piece and the second charging piece edge The charging box is mounted on the top surface of the charging box in the width direction; the second charging end comprises a first charging column and a second charging column, and the first charging column and the second charging column are automatically along The width of the working device is installed at the bottom of the working device and extends downward; after the automatic working device travels into the charging station, the first charging column is in contact with the first charging piece, and the second charging column and the second charging column Two charging tablets are in contact.

Further, the foregoing charging station system of the automatic working device is characterized in that: the first charging piece and/or the first charging column are retractable in the height direction.

Further, the foregoing charging station system of the automatic working device is characterized in that: the second charging piece and/or the second charging column are retractable in the height direction.

Further, the charging station system of the automatic working device is characterized in that: after the automatic working device travels into the charging station, the second charging end is located above the vertical direction of the first charging end, and maintains elastic contact with the second charging end. The first charging end and/or the second charging end are elastically expandable and contractible in a vertical direction.

The invention has the advantages that the system has a simple structure, and the precision of the automatic working equipment and the charging station is not high, and the elastic working contact between the charging ends can realize the accurate and reliable docking of the automatic working device and the charging station, and By maintaining good contact at the charging end, the automatic charging function can be reliably realized.

DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is a schematic view of a charging station system of an automatic working device of the present invention;

2 is a schematic structural view of a charging station of the present invention;

Figure 3 is a schematic structural view of an automatic working device of the present invention;

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the automatic working device shown in Figure 3 taken along the A-A position;

5a to 5c are schematic views of the automatic working device in the return charging mode when the automatic working device is at different positions of the charging station step.

Concrete

The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1, the charging station system of the automatic working device of the present invention comprises a charging station 1 and an automatic working device 2, wherein the automatic working device 2 is limited to work in a specific area 3, and the present invention adopts a cable line. As an automatic work wear At the boundary of the area of 2, the automatic working device 2 is limited to work inside the area 3 surrounded by the cable. The automatic working device 2 is provided with an energy storage unit 4, a control unit 5 and a driving unit 6, the energy storage unit 4 providing energy for the automatic working device 2 to operate, the energy storage unit 4 preferably being a battery The control unit 5 is usually in the form of a microprocessor for controlling the behavior of the automatic working device 2 (for example, walking, turning, starting the working of the working head, returning to the charging station, etc.); the driving unit 6 is executed by the automatic working device 2 The various actions provide a driving force, and the drive unit 6 preferably can employ a motor, in particular a DC motor.

When the control unit 5 of the automatic working device 2 detects that the energy of the energy storage unit 4 needs to be replenished, the control unit 5 will control the automatic working device 2 to return to the charging station 1 to replenish energy, for example, along the cable line according to the direction of the arrow in the figure. The resulting area 3 is returned to the charging station 1 for charging.

A schematic diagram of the structure of the charging station 1 is shown in Fig. 2. The charging station 1 comprises a bottom plate 7, and a charging box 8 is arranged on the bottom plate 7, and a top end of the charging box 8 is provided with a first charging end 9. The first charging end 9 includes a first charging piece 10 and a second charging piece 11, and the first charging piece 10 and the second charging piece 11 are mounted on the top surface 12 of the charging box along the width direction of the charging box. on.

3 is a schematic view showing the structure of the automatic working device 2, the automatic working device 2 includes a main body 13, and the main body 13 is internally provided with an energy storage unit 4, a control unit 5 and a driving unit 6 (not shown) display). In order to realize the automatic charging function, a second charging end 14 is provided at the bottom position of the automatic working device 2, and the second charging end 14 includes a first charging column 15 and a second charging post 16, the first charging post 15 and the second charging post 16 are mounted at their bottom positions along the width W _{2 of} the automatic working device 2, and project downward; the automatic working device travels into After the charging station, the first charging post 15 is in contact with the first charging pad 10, and the second charging post 16 is in contact with the second charging pad 11.

As shown in FIG. 2, in order to enable the first charging end 9 and the second charging end 14 to be in accurate contact, the present invention further provides a step 19 on the bottom plate 7, and the automatic working device 2 When the wheel near the second charging end 14 climbs up the step 19, the height of the lowest end of the second charging end 14 is higher than the height of the first charging end 9; the wheel of the automatic working device 2 near the second charging end 14 is over At the step 19, the second charging end 14 is in contact with the first charging end 9.

In order to enable the first charging end 9 and the second charging end 14 to be reliably contacted, as a further optimization of the present invention, at least one of the first charging end 9 and the second charging end 14 is elastically stretchable in the height direction. of. As shown in FIG. 4, taking the second charging end 14 as an example, the first charging post 15 and the second charging post 16 of the second charging end 14 are respectively mounted in the cavity 17 at the bottom position of the main body 13, the cavity A spring 18 is disposed inside, and the spring 18 is respectively sleeved on the first charging post 15 and the second charging post 16 to push it downward. When the automatic working device 2 returns to the charging station 1 for charging, the second The charging end 14 will be in contact with the first charging end 9, and the charging post of the second charging end 14 will reliably abut against the charging pad of the first charging end 9 under the action of the spring 18.

Next, based on the structures of Figs. 2, 3 and 4, in conjunction with Figs. 5a to 5c, the charging process of the automatic working device 2 of the charging station system of the present invention into the charging station 1 will be described.

When the automatic working device 2 is in the return charging mode, the control unit 5 (not shown) will control the automatic working device 2 to return to the charging station 1, and climb up the steps of the wheel of the automatic working device 2 near the second charging end 9. Before 19, as shown in FIG. 5a, the height of the lowest end of the second charging end 14 is smaller than the height H of the first charging end 9.

As shown in FIG. 5b, when the wheel of the automatic working device 2 near the second charging end 9 is climbing up the step 19, the height 11 ₂ of the lowest end of the second charging end 14 is higher than the height H of the first charging end 9.

When the wheel of the automatic working device 2 near the second charging end 9 is over the step 19, as shown in FIG. 5c, the first charging post 15 and the second charging post 16 of the second charging end 14 are urged by the spring 18. The bottom is reliably abutted against the first charging piece 10 and the second charging piece 11 of the first charging end 9, respectively, the height of the lowest end of the second charging end 14 is equal to the height H of the first charging end 9, and the charging station 1 is realized. Charging the automatic working device 2.

The present invention has been described in detail with reference to the embodiments of the present invention. However, these specific embodiments should not be construed as limiting the invention. The technical solutions obtained by means of equivalent substitution or equivalent transformation are all protected by the present invention. Within the scope.

Other unexplained portions of the present invention are the same as in the prior art.

Claims

claims

1. A charging station system for automatic working devices, including a charging station and an automatic working device; the charging station includes a base plate, a charging box is provided on the base plate, and a first charging terminal is provided on the charging box; The automatic working device is provided with a second charging terminal that matches the first charging terminal. When the automatic working device needs to be charged, it can automatically drive into the charging station for charging. It is characterized by:

The first charging terminal is arranged at the top of the charging box;

The second charging terminal is set at the bottom of the automatic working device. After the automatic working device drives into the charging station, the second charging terminal remains in contact with the first charging terminal, and the charging station charges the automatic working device.

2. The charging station system of the automatic working device according to claim 1, characterized in that: the bottom plate is further provided with steps, and when the wheels of the automatic working device climb up the steps, the lowest end of the second charging end The height is higher than the height of the first charging terminal; when the wheels of the automatic working device enter the charging station over the steps, the second charging terminal remains in contact with the first charging terminal.

3. The charging station system for automatic working devices according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: the first charging terminal includes a first charging piece and a second charging piece, and the first charging piece and the second charging piece The two charging pieces are installed on the top surface of the charging box along the width direction of the charging box; the second charging end includes a first charging column and a second charging column, and the first charging column and the second charging column are arranged along the It is installed on the bottom position of the automatic working device in the width direction and extends downward; after the automatic working device drives into the charging station, the first charging column is in contact with the first charging piece, and the second charging column Contact with the second charging pad.

4. The charging station system of the automatic working device according to claim 3, characterized in that: the first charging piece and/or the first charging column are elastically stretchable in the height direction.

5. The charging station system of the automatic working device according to claim 3, characterized in that: the second charging piece and/or the second charging column are elastically stretchable in the height direction.

6. The charging station system of the automatic working device according to claim 1, characterized in that: after the automatic working device travels into the charging station, the second charging end is located vertically above the first charging end and is connected with it. Maintaining elastic contact, the first charging terminal and/or the second charging terminal are elastically stretchable in the vertical direction.